In every family, there are a handful of simple, soulful dishes that evoke the essence of home. For me, there is no single meal that reminds me more of childhood than my mother's stuffed artichokes.

My fondness for this technique has only grown the farther I've lived from home. (For example, when I lived in Paris, I tried this recipe with the gorgeous spherical artichokes in the greenmarkets. Sadly, it didn't taste like a thing.) What you want is the classic green, slightly elongated artichokes found in most American grocery stores, which offer a much stronger flavor. I promise, it's well worth the effort.

Ingredients:

2 artichokes

1/2 cup croutons (or toasted, roughly chopped breadcrumbs)

2-3 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 garlic clove

olive oil and salt, to taste

fresh parsley, optional

Instructions:

Heat a medium pot of salted water to a boil.

Remove artichoke stems from bulb and peel.

Trim the top quarter to third of the leaves on the artichoke bulb.

Rinse the artichoke bulbs and stems and place in boiling water for 10-15 minutes.